SO I FINISHED READER E.C. WILLIAMS’ Westerly Gales last night and it was quite good — good enough that I immediately downloaded the next two books. Sort of like a cross between Steve Stirling’s Change novels and Horatio Hornblower, with maybe a hint of Taylor Anderson’s Destroyermen. . . .

IN BRITAIN, CHANGE: Imperial measurements ‘to make comeback’ in schools. Somewhere, James Taranto is smiling.

UPDATE: Reader David Moelling writes: “Years ago I got the English edition of the ‘Dangerous Book for Boys’ in Heathrow Airport. I’ve passed it along to a young nephew, but I recall it had a suggestion the boys learn Imperial Units. I remember the authors comment that the USA got to the moon using inches and lbs rather than a system invented by French Revolutionaries! (by the way how is that 10 hour metric day working out for you?)”

I’ll get back to you around the 5th of Thermidor.

ANN ALTHOUSE ON DAVID GREGORY’S FREE PASS:

Why is the law important? If Gregory clearly violated the law, but there is no interest to be served in prosecuting him, doesn’t that prove that the law is not important? If the precise thing that he did — which is clearly what is defined as a crime — raises no interest in prosecution, how can we be satisfied by letting this one nice famous man go? Rewrite the law so that it only covers the activity that the government believes deserves prosecution, so there is equal justice under the law.

If there were equal justice under the law, what would be the point of being a Very Important Person?

Related: Prosecutor who gave David Gregory a pass was family friend. “What’s important is that the connection reinforces public perception, as Emily Miller put it, of one law for ‘the rich and powerful and one for everyone else.'”

TAX RATES AND POLITICAL IGNORANCE: “Why is it that large majorities simultaneously support increasing income taxes on people earning over $250,000 per year, but also believe that they should be taxed at a lower rate than existed even before the recent fiscal cliff deal raised it for individuals earning over $400,000, and families earning over $450,000? As The Hill points out, the most likely explanation is political ignorance. Most people probably don’t know what tax rates are currently in force, especially for people in income classes other than their own.”

LOOKING INTO WHY THE VIKINGS LEFT GREENLAND.

In the final phase, it was young people of child-bearing age in particular who saw no future for themselves on the island. The excavators found hardly any skeletons of young women on a cemetery from the late period.

“The situation was presumably similar to the way it is today, when young Greeks and Spaniards are leaving their countries to seek greener pastures in areas that are more promising economically,” Lynnerup says. “It’s always the young and the strong who go, leaving the old behind.”

Or California.

ANOTHER BLOOMBERG GUN-CONTROL FAIL! Loaded Cannon Found In Central Park.

IT’S COME TO THIS: White House Does Damage Control on NYT Gun-Control Report. “The White House is already defining success downward.”

I mean, when the Obama White House has to do “damage control” on a New York Times gun-control report . . . .

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? France Sends Troops to Mali to Help Counter Islamist Advance.

AT AMAZON, New Year’s markdowns on fitness DVDs.

“THE OLDEST LEATHER SHOE AND SKIRT WERE FOUND IN ARMENIA.” They were then returned to their original owner, Helen Thomas.

TOM MAGUIRE: “Matt Yglesias is a one-man wrecking crew in an epic battle against reality.”

Related: Coins are out, IOUs are in. Bottom line: The unseriousness of these dodges will do more harm than anything else.

DER SPIEGEL’S AMERICA PROBLEM.

THE FOUR HORSEMEN of the American Apocalypse.

DRUDGE DOES IT AGAIN:

AT AMAZON, New Year’s Markdowns On Musical Instruments.

COMING: Toilet Paper Shortages?

PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO “SUFFER A BIT:” Bloomberg Slaps Down Criticism of Painkiller Restriction Plan.

TOM BLUMER: The New, Media-Numbed Normal: Who do you believe about the economy, the press or your lying eyes?

AT AMAZON, New Year’s Deals On Coffeemakers.

Also, today only: up to 35% off on gaming accessories.

RETHINKING THIN: Last week, a study came out showing that overweight people had lower mortality than “normal” ones. There’s been a lot of pushback–but the arguments are pretty weak.

I do agree that mortality isn’t everything; morbidity (poor health) matters too. But it is not true that we are living longer, more miserable lives. On the contrary, active life expectancy is increasing faster than life expectancy, according to the experts I interviewed for an article in the Atlantic. You can see this in the proportion of people on Medicare who have limitations in their ability to perform the tasks of daily l